Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.  --Albert Einstein--
Introduction
As a teacher and lifelong learner, I'm excited to engage my creativity and expertise to help students and other learners engage in empowering learning experiences that will help them succeed in their careers, education, and lives. With thirteen years experience as an Assistant Professor in English, writing, and composition at Georgia Southern University, I have acquired experience teaching writing and composition, creative writing, critical thinking and logic, online learning, research methods, first year college experience, student-centered learning, editing, grammar, and literature.   How I Help Students to Stop Striving and Start Thriving
I know what it's like to work hard for something and overcome obstacles to your dreams. I know what it's like to not have things handed to you. I know what it's like to watch the other guy get ahead when you don't. I know what it's like to learn things when they don't come naturally to you. I know what it's like to persist on days you don't even know what you're doing or if you'll make it. I take these personal experiences and use them to relate to you with understanding and care. I have achieved many goals in spite of challenges, and I can help you do the same, because I understand what it's like to be there. I help students Stop Striving and Start Thriving.
Being Your Instructor
After finishing school, I learned to teach others to write by being thrown into a college writing classroom with little experience. With the help of other amazing teachers, I taught myself how to teach while I was doing it. In this twelve year experience, I learned to make writing fun and easy to understand for students at different levels in the writing process. Strong teaching evaluations from students backed that there was something to the techniques I was using, because students were benefiting from them. In the end, my chief goal is always to help students learn, enjoy, and love writing.
Background
I obtained a BA in English Literature at Georgia Southern University, an MA in English Literature at Georgia Southern University, and an MFA (terminal degree) in Creative Writing (with thesis in poetry) at Sewanee School of Letters at University of the South. I am passionate about human creativity and learning, and helping students make new connections and achieve personal empowerment through their writing.
Personal Interests
I'm on a mission to help those who are hurting to cope, help those who have failed to succeed, and help those with mental illnesses to stop striving and start thriving. My focus is especially to help those that don't succeed the first time, or perhaps the tenth. You can make it if you don't give up and learn smart. As a teacher and lifelong learner, I'm excited to engage my creativity and expertise to help students and other learners engage in empowering learning experiences that will help them succeed in their careers, education, and lives.